The 10 most searched video games on Google in the last 10 years

Video games are a passion for millions of Italians. According to the annual report of IIDEA (the Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association, i.e. the trade association of the video game industry in Italy) in 2021 alone, the market moved a turnover of 2 billion and 243 million euros thanks to 15.5 million people who have spent part of their free time playing video games on consoles, PCs or smartphones. In short, 35% of the population between the ages of 6 and 64 dedicated an average of 8.7 hours a week to spending time in the company of their favorite titles. And the game par excellence in recent years has been FIFA, always at the top of the best-selling video games of the year in Italy. But is it also the most popular? To find out, Time2play has compiled a ranking of the 10 most searched video games on Google in the last 10 years and, surprisingly, the most famous football simulator in the world is not at the top of the ranking. Here’s who surpasses it.  

The 10 most searched video games on Google in the last 10 years

GTA 

Grand Theft Auto is the most searched game in Italy for the last 10 years. With over 691 million global search results on Google, GTA is the leader of the action adventures published by Rockstar Games since 1997. Looking forward to GTA VI which could make its debut over the next few years, the latest GTA V continues to depopulate thanks to the multiplayer and the meticulous research of the details that made the title a real evergreen.  

Pokemon GO 

In second place among the most popular games ever in Italy is Pokemon GO. Released in 2016 in collaboration between Game Freak, The Pokemon Company, and Nintendo, Pokemon GO sparked a boom in fans at the time of its release in Italy. The free-to-play video game is based on augmented reality, geolocated with GPS on iOS and Android operating systems, and forces players to leave the house to go and capture wild pokemon scattered in the real environment, facing them in gyms scattered throughout the surrounding area.  

FIFA 

On the last step of the podium, FIFA which is developed annually by Electronic Arts – will be the last year before moving to EA Sports Football Club. The key to the success of the first FIFA was the isometric view of the playing field, the animations, and the fact that the video game was approved by the FIFA football federation itself. Although it has often been criticized due to its static nature, today HyperMotion technology allows for more realistic animations of the players and their movements on the field. From 2012 to the present, the most popular editions have been FIFA 15, 18, and 19.  

Fortnite

Fourth place for the record-breaking video game, the most played and discussed ever a real global phenomenon. This is thanks to the game modes save the world, no building, creative and limited time modes such as imposters, team brawl, and party royale. But above all thanks to the Battle Royale of which he has the great merit of having been the leader in the gaming world after PUBG.  

Brawl Stars 

In fifth place in the ranking of the most loved games in Italy is Brawl Stars. The freemium and multiplayer action video game was developed and published by Supercell arriving in 2018 in every corner of the globe. Available on iOS, Android, and HarmonyOS, Brawl Stars has a team game mode, from 3 to 10 players, or single player through characters called Brawler. The game became an e-Sport in 2019 when Supercell organized the Brawl Stars World Championship.  

Super Mario Bros 

Produced by Nintendo since the 1980s, the series consists of over 200 video games. If Mario’s first appearance can be traced back to the 1981 arcade Donkey Kong, the spin-off series Mario Kart has sold over 78 million games worldwide. A success that is then resumed in 2017 with Super Mario Odyssey, the first Mario game for Nintendo Switch.  

7. Clash of Clans 

Released in 2012 by Supercell for iOS and Android, the game is based on building a village by forming clans with up to 50 players. In addition to erecting buildings, you can gather resources, cast spells, and attack opposing clans to win trophies via single-player or multiplayer attacks.  

Genshin Impact 

Genshin Impact is an open-world action RPG video game in a free-to-play mode that was developed by the Chinese company miHoYo and presented to the general public in 2020, decreeing a global success. Available for Windows, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, and 5, the company is currently working on the Nintendo Switch version. It is no wonder that Genshin Impact ranked eighth among the most popular games in Italy of the last 10 years: in the first two weeks of its release, the video game exceeded 100 million dollars in the United States and 287 million dollars after the first month. The reason? A captivating story divided into chapters and set in a fantasy world inhabited by gods, spirits, and all kinds of creatures.  

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege 

Often abbreviated to R6S, Rainbow Six: Siege ranks as the 9th most loved game of the last 10 years. The shooter was developed and published by Ubisoft in 2014 and currently has around 100 million active players. While lacking a real story, the game is based on missions to be fulfilled as a single player with five online game modes. Multiplayer mode is also available with up to ten players split into two teams ready to challenge each other.  

Fallout 4 

Fallout 4 is positioned as the tenth most loved game by Italians over the past ten years. The action RPG video game was developed and published by Bethesda in 2015 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Set in Boston in 2287 in a post-apocalyptic scenario, the protagonist Vault 111 emerges from an underground bunker 210 years after a nuclear war. The game experience is similar to that of the previous chapters, with the possibility of playing in the first and third person. What makes it unique is the ability to recycle objects found by chance by exploring the surrounding world, accompanied by helpers and allies. Proof of its popularity is the 750 million dollars invoiced on the first day of launch.